WASHINGTON, DC – July 13, 2026 – Nearly 200 patient advocacy, public health and health care professional organizations sent a letter to the Senate declaring their strong support for the Clinical Trial Modernization Act (S. 4440/H.R. 3521). The bipartisan, bicameral legislation would help remove cost and geographic barriers that keep patients from enrolling and participating in clinical trials. The bill was introduced in the U.S. Senate by Sens. Tim Scott (R-SC) and Mark Warner (D-VA) in April 2026 and in the U.S. House of Representatives in May 2025 by Reps. Raul Ruiz (D-CA) and August Pfluger (R-TX).
Provisions in the bill would allow clinical trial sponsors to provide financial support to patients for expenses associated with their trial participation, including medical costs like copays and non-medical costs such as travel, parking, food and lodging. They would also allow trial sponsors to provide patients with the technology needed to facilitate remote participation in clinical trials. These and other bill provisions would help make it easier for all patients to participate in clinical trials.
Below are excerpts from the letter:
“Clinical trials are essential to advancing new standards of care and improving survival and quality of life for people with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. However, enrollment remains a persistent challenge, particularly among underrepresented populations, including certain racial and ethnic groups, older adults, rural residents, and individuals with lower incomes.
“Concerns about the cost of participation often prevent patients from enrolling. While insurers typically cover routine medical costs, patients may still face significant cost-sharing obligations, such as deductibles, copays, and coinsurance. Participants may also incur non-medical expenses such as transportation, lodging, and meals, particularly when trials require travel or frequent visits.
“The Clinical Trial Modernization Act directly addresses these barriers by making it easier for patients to participate in clinical trials. Specifically, the bill would reduce economic barriers... expand remote participation... support enrollment of underrepresented groups... [and] protect patients from financial harm by excluding up to $2,000 in non-reimbursed financial support from federal income tax and from eligibility considerations for safety net programs (e.g., Medicaid).
“These provisions will help reduce bureaucratic and financial barriers to participation, increase accessibility to clinical trials, and ultimately strengthen U.S. leadership in medical innovation. By improving enrollment, the legislation will accelerate the development of new treatments, benefiting both trial participants and the broader public.”
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List of organizations:
American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network
1Day Sooner
Academy of Oncology Nurse & Patient Navigators
Academy of Physicians in Clinical Research
ADAP Advocacy Association
Adolescent and Young Adult Cancer Coalition
Alabama Cancer Congress
Alliance for Aging Research
Alliance for Patient Access
Alliance for Women's Health and Prevention
American Association for Cancer Research
American Association of Clinical Urology (AACU)
American College of Chest Physicians
American College of Osteopathic Family Physicians
American Foundation for Suicide Prevention
American Liver Foundation
American Lung Association
American Pharmacists Association
American Society for Transplantation & Cellular Therapy
American Society of Hematology
American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
AnCan Foundation
Anxiety and Depression Association of America
Asian & Pacific Islander American Health Forum (APIAHF)
Association for Clinical Oncology
Association for the Accreditation of Human Research Protection Programs, Inc. (AAHRPP)
Association of American Cancer Institutes
Association of Black Cardiologists
Association of Cancer Care Centers
Association of Northern California Oncologists
Association of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Nurses (APHON)
Bag It Cancer
BioCytics Inc.
Biomarker Collaborative
Black Women's Health Imperative, Rare Disease Diversity Coalition
BlackDoctor
Bladder Cancer Advocacy Network (BCAN)
BLKHLTH
Blood Cancer United
Bone Health & Osteoporosis Foundation
Brem Foundation to Defeat Breast Cancer
Cactus Cancer Society
Cancer Active, Inc.
Cancer Support Community
CancerCare
Caregiver Action Network
Carolina BioOncology Institute, PLLC
Cervivor, Inc.
Cheeky Charity
Children's Cancer Cause
Children’s Brain Tumor Foundation
Cholangiocarcinoma Foundation
CLL Society
Coalition of Skin Diseases
Colon Cancer Coalition
Colorectal Cancer Alliance
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
Community Access National Network
Community Oncology Alliance (COA)
Deadliest Cancers Coalition
Debbie's Dream Foundation: Curing Stomach Cancer (DDF)
Delta for Women in Action
Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance
Derma Care Access Network
Dia de la Mujer Latina, Inc.
Diabetes Leadership Council
Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition
Epilepsy Foundation of America
Esophageal Cancer Action Network (ECAN)
Exon 20 Group
Fight Colorectal Cancer
FORCE: Facing Our Risk of Cancer Empowered
Friends of Cancer Research
Gaucher Community Alliance
GI Cancers Alliance
Global Colon Cancer Association
GO2 for Lung Cancer
Headache and Migraine Policy Forum
Health, Hope & Hip-Hop Foundation
HealthTree Foundation
Heart Valve Voice US
Hematology/Oncology Pharmacy Association
Highlander Health
Hope for Heather - ovarian cancer foundation
Hope for Stomach Cancer
ICAN, International Cancer Advocacy Network
Illinois Medical Oncology Society (IMOS)
Infinite Strength
International Myeloma Foundation
International Pemphigus & Pemphigoid Foundation
Kesem
Kidney Cancer Association
KidneyCAN
Latinas Contra Cancer
League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC)
LESLIE'S WEEK a Stage 4 Breast Cancer Nonprofit
Livestrong
Living Beyond Breast Cancer
Looms For Lupus
LUNGevity Foundation
Lupus and Allied Diseases Association, Inc.
Lupus Foundation of America
Lupus Foundation of America, Texas Gulf Coast chapter
Lymphedema Advocacy Group
Lymphoma Research Foundation
Male Breast Cancer Global Alliance
Malecare Cancer Support
Maryland & DC Society of Clinical Oncology
Medical Oncology Association of Southern California, Inc. (MOASC)
Melanoma Research Alliance
Melanoma Research Foundation
Men's Health Network
MET Crusaders
METAvivor
Mission MSA
Mississippi Oncology Society
Multi-Regional Clinical Trials Center of Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard (MRCT Center)
Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation
Myasthenia Gravis Association
NAACP
National Alliance for Caregiving
National Alliance of State Prostate Cancer Coalitions
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI)
National Association of Hispanic Nurses
National Black Nurses Association, Inc.
National Bone Marrow Transplant Link
National Brain Tumor Society
National Cancer Registrars Association
National Coalition for Infant Health
National Comprehensive Cancer Network
National Consumers League
National Council of Urban Indian Health
National Foundation for Cancer Research
National Health Council
National Hispanic Health Foundation
National Hispanic Medical Association (NHMA)
National Indian Health Board
National Kidney Foundation
National LGBT Cancer Project
National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP)
National Minority Quality Forum
National Oncology State Network
National Patient Advocate Foundation
National Psoriasis Foundation
National Rural Health Association
National Scleroderma Foundation
National Urban League
NCODA
Ohio Hematology Oncology Society
Oklahoma Society of Clinical Oncology, Inc.
Oncology Nursing Society
ONE CANCER PLACE - the address for CancerWorld™
Ovarian Cancer Research Alliance
Pancreatic Cancer Action Network (PanCAN)
Patient Empowerment Network
Pennsylvania Prostate Cancer Coalition (PPCC)
PlusInc
Prevent Blindness
Prevent Cancer Foundation
Preventive Cardiovascular Nurses Association
Prostate Cancer Foundation
Prostate Health Education Network, Inc.
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Rally Foundation for Childhood Cancer Research
Raymond Foundation
Rural Minds
Sarcoma Foundation of America
Sharsheret | The Jewish Breast & Ovarian Cancer Community
SherCare
Sisters Network Inc.
Society for Women's Health Research
Society of Gynecologic Oncology
Society of Utah Medical Oncologists (SUMO)
St. Baldrick's Foundation
Stupid Cancer, Inc.
Susan G. Komen
TargetCancer Foundation
Team PHenomenal Hope
The Breasties
The Prostate Cancer Clinical Trials Consortium
The Sumaira Foundation
Theresa’s Research
Tigerlily Foundation
TOUCH, The Black Breast Cancer Alliance
Triage Cancer
Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation
Twisted Pink
Unite for HER
UsAgainstAlzheimer's
wAIHA Warriors
Women As One
WomenHeart
Young Survival Coalition
Your Prostate Cancer.help
ZERO Prostate Cancer
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The American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) advocates for evidence-based public policies to reduce the cancer burden for everyone. We engage our volunteers across the country to make their voices heard by policymakers at every level of government. We believe everyone should have a fair and just opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. Since 2001, as the American Cancer Society’s nonprofit, nonpartisan advocacy affiliate, ACS CAN has successfully advocated for billions of dollars in cancer research funding, expanded access to quality affordable health care, and advanced proven tobacco control measures. We stand with our volunteers, working to make cancer a top priority for policymakers in cities, states and our nation’s capital. Join the fight by visiting www.fightcancer.org.